Student Spotlight: Actor Angel Urena

Eighteen-year-old Angel Urena has a dream: to write and perform his own music. But that dream has been postponed by the realities of life.

“I got into Berklee College of Music, but it’s just so expensive, so I deferred until fall 2020,” Angel said. “I’m working, saving money, applying for scholarships and getting college credits at a local community college.”

The big question was how to keep his dream alive. That’s where our education team came in. Director Laura Peete and manager Sara York met Angel during our Applause Awards this past June.

“He’s talented and humble and ready to soak in all the experiences we have here,” Laura said. “The team not only got Angel to be part of the cast of the Legally Blonde summer program and performance, but also helped him get a scholarship for our AdventHealth School of the Arts.”

Cast in the role of Aaron, Angel got the chance to really grow his skillset and hone his talent.

“I was intimidated the first day,” he said. “Everyone in the cast was so talented. But it was a really rewarding experience, and I got to perform onstage in Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater.”

Next up for Angel, he plans to audition for our premier performance group, The Four Counts.

“It’s an amazing program,” he said. “You get to perform in the community, study weekly with the teachers at Dr. Phillips Center and do special trainings with Broadway pros.”

Our scholarship fund here at Dr. Phillips Center, funded by generous donors, supports in-need students for classes and programs like The Four Counts. Angel hopes to take full advantage of this amazing support.

“The teaching artists and directors at Dr. Phillips Center have given so much to me,” Angel said. “They care about my future and are helping me live my dream. I’m forever grateful.”

To learn more about the Dr. Phillips Center and AdventHealth partnership, visit wellnessandarts.com.